Thanks for this post! I've seen all these, but it's good to have them all in one place.
Now, I'm still pre-op, but can totally relate to this statement:
In addition, diet soda has been connected to weight gain in the general population.
I honestly believe that my rapid weight gain had a lot to do with drinking diet soda. I only started drinking DC (diet Coke) a few years ago. I barely used to even drink regular soda. Water was my thing, but I kept tasting DC and started to like it. My cousin and mom are literally addicted to it. I read in a magazine that with diet soda you get the sweet craving more after drinking it b/c the soda doesn't quench the craving. Then you wind up drinking DC and eating donuts, cake, etc. My cousin eats sweets after EVERY meal!
He got me into a very bad habit. Now, I don't eat sweets after every meal like he does, but I do usually at night. I used to laugh when people ordered a Big Mac, fries, and a DC. Now I do it!
I will make sure that I go back to my "old ways" and stop drinking soda. I still LOVE water, which is good. That will be my drink...along with protein drinks.